Improvement in lamps



B. HITGHGOGK.

Lamps.

Patented August'26,1873l AM. PHOm-L/T/IOEIM PHIL 00 M X (OSEORIYE'S moms;

*A'rmvr FFICE.

ROBERT HITGHGOOK, OF WATERTOWN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN LAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 142,103, dated August 26, 1873; application filed July 11, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT HrrcHoooK, of Watertown, J eflerson county, New York,

' 'haveinvented certain new and useful Im provements in Lamps, of which the following is a specification lamps for which Letters Patent No. 125,954,

dated April 23, 1872, and No. 134,547, dated January 7, 1873, have been granted to me, my

' present lamp, like the patented ones referred to, being characterized by the employment of an air-forcing apparatus or blower, which supplies a forced blast to the flame through passages or air-ducts leading to both the exterior and interior of the flame.

My present improvements consist principally, flrst, in combining with the lamp a pump located within the compass of the same, and arranged to take oil from theoil tank or reservoir and deliver it to the wick at or near the point of combustion second, in combining the said pump and oil-reservoir with the same clock work or movement which drives the blower in such manner that the pump is automatically operated by said movement when the lamp is in use; third, in the formation and arrangement of the several air-passages "which conduct air to the exterior and interior of the flame; fourth, in the construction and arrangement, substantially as hereinafter described, of the various parts of the clock work or movement to adapt the same for use with the lamp.

Other features of my invention will be developed in the course of the following description, which I shall now proceed to give of the manner in which my invention is or may be carried into effect, referring to the accompanydrawing, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical central section of a lamp made in accordance with my invention, turned so as to present to view the face of one of the supporting-plates of the clock work or movement. Fig. 2. is an elevation of the lamp turned so as topresent the side edges of said supporting-plates, the lower part or base of the lamp being in section.

A is the slotted deflector, fitting on top of the shell or case B, which is supported by the base 0. The base is provided with a central ash-box and drip-cup, D, suspended above an exterior receptacle, E. The case of the blower or fan is located within the annular inner wall or receptacle E, and the current'of air created by the fan passes up through the space intervening between the box D and the top of the inner Wall of receptacle E. The arrangement of these parts is substantially like that shown in my former patent. So, also, the shell B is connected in the same manner by pins or studs with the inner vessel or oil-reservoir, a continuous annular space being left between them for the passage of the exterior blast. The open central air-tube andwick-holder are shown at F, extending up through the oil-tank, and surrounded by the perforated jacket F, be;

tween which and the central tubes is held the wick G. The wick-raising devices do not require description, inasmuch as they are substantially the same as those described in my patent of January 7, 1873, above referred to. Within and near the bottom of the oil-reservoir is an upright pump-cylinder, a,provided at or near its bottom with an aperture, a, to permit the oil in the tank to enter the cylinder. The pump shown is a single-acting one, the cylinder being provided with a puppet-valve, b, intermediate between opening a and the piston 0, which latter has also a puppet-valve, b, in it, opening upward. From the top of the cylinder extends upward through the top of the oil-tank an open tube, 0, through whichpasses the piston-rod d. From the top of the cylinder leads another tube, 0, designed to conduct to the wick the oil from the cylinder. By reciprocating the piston by means of its rod, the oil is first-taken into the cylinder, and then forced up through the supply-tube e, from which it may be conducted in any suitable way to discharge upon the wick at or near the point of combustion. A convenient arrangement for this purpose is shown in the drawing. The supply-pipe dischargesinto an annular reservoir, f, formed on the neck of the shell or case B, and, preferably, just beneath the point where the base of the deflector A rests, so that the heat of the deflector may be availed of to heat the oil and better prepare it for use at the wick. From the annular reservoir extends a delivery pipe or tube, g, opening into a closed receiver, g formed around the top of the wick-jacket, just below the point of combustion. Oil from the annular auxiliary reservoir passes through the deliverypipe into this receiver, whence it passes through perforations in the jacket of the wick.

The advantage of thus supplying oil to the wick at the point of combustionis considerable. The supply of oil is not dependent upon capillary action, and the lamp will continue to burn even with a short wick, with but little oil in the tank. This supply of oil, however, is principally intended to be auxiliary to that derived from the capillary action of the wick, which extends into the reservoir, as above described, and absorbs and carries up to the point of combustion a very considerable quantity of oil-enough to give a good flame. But the capillary action in the burning of heavy oils, such as sperm or lard oils, in nochimney lamps of this character, is somewhat slow, and the wick is liable to char. By affording an independent and additional supply of oil not dependent upon the capillary action of the wick, and by delivering the same at or immediately below the point of combustion, no capillary action is needed to carry this oil to the flame, and the wick at this point is kept moist and well fed; consequently the lamp will burn for a much longer time without requiring the wick to be trimmed.

On the top plate of the oil-tank is an overflowbox, 9 to receive such surplus oil as is not consumed or flows down the wick over the receiver. In the bottom ofthe box are holes, through which the surplus oil returns to the tank.

Movement can be imparted to the pistonred by various means. The arrangement which I prefer and have found most practicable is shown in the drawing. To the top of the piston-rod is rigidly attached a horizontal arm, h, fastenedat the other end to the top of a lifter-rod, 7L1, which extends down through a tube extending from top to bottom of the oil-tank, and projects some distance below the bottom of the tank, as indicated in Fig. 1. By pushiu g up this projecting lower end of the lifter-rod, the piston-rod, and consequently the piston, will be raised; then, by releasing the said lower end, the rods, and consequently the piston, will fall by their own weight. This lower end of the lifterrod may be positively attached with the mechanism for actuating it, so that it will have a positive movement down as well as up; but when, as in the present instance, the rod is actuated by the clock-work in the base of the lamp, I prefer the arrangement first above suggested, as it will allow the top of the lamp, comprising all the parts above the base, to be made detachable and easily removable from the base. To actuate the lifter-rod under this arrangement, I employ a vertical pusher-bar, W, the upper end of which is directly under the lower end of the lifter-rod. The pusher is supported in proper bearings in the clock work or movement frame, and is provided at its lower end with a shoe, 2, which lies in the path of lateral teeth 11 formed on a wheel, 5 attached to and revolving with one of the shafts of the spring movement. As these teeth rise during their rotary movement they successively come in contact with and raise the bar W, and then pass beyond the end of the bar so as to allow it to suddenly drop, there being sufficient space between the teeth to permit the pusher-bar to be'raised by one tooth and then dropped to its lowest position before the succeeding tooth will come into play. The pusher-bar thus alternately rises and pushes up the lifter-rod, and then suddenly falls to permit the said rod to drop. The pump is thus automatically worked by the same clock-work which operates the fan or blower. At the same time, as there is no positive connection, but only occasional contact between the rod in the lamp-reservoir and the bar in the base, the upper part of the lamp can be made removable. For this purpose the lower end of the shell B fits in a socket in the top of the base, where it is held by lugs and spring-catch in the usual way.

In the practical use of my lamp I have ascertained that a third air-flue adds to the quality, uniformity, and tenacity of the flame. I therefore interpose between the central airpassage and the exterior or outermost air-passage an intermediate duct or passage, through which air from the blower is conveyed upward to the exterior of the flame. This intermediate flue can be formed in various ways. It is conveniently and expeditiously made by forming the oil-tank of two concentric parts, an inner cylindrical vessel, H, carrying the central wick tube, wick raising mechanism, 850., and an exterior concentric annular vessel, I, of sufficiently greater internal diameter than the vessel H to allow an annular space or flue, K, to be formed between them. The oil is poured into the outer vessel through a suitable nozzle, j,- and in order to establish communication between the two vessels, to allow the inner one to be filled with oil equally with the outer one, the two vessels are connected by one or more tubes, k, at or near their bottom. With a tank thus constructed the pump cylinder is arranged in the inner vessel, as indicated in the drawing. The lower end of the pump-cylinder preferably projects a little from the bottom of the tank, and is closed by a packed screw-cap, which can be removed whenever it is desired to have access to the interior of the cylinder. The clock work or movement is supported between two side plates, L, secured to a base, L, and suitably braced by cross-rods. The general arrangement of the movement is indicated fully in the drawings. M is the 'main springbarrel, and l 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 the intermediate pinions and gears,'by which motion is transmitted to the worm-shaft which carries the fan or blower, indicated in dotted lines, located in an open cylinder on top of the plate I}, which, when the movement-is in place in the base, fits within the space inclosed by the inner wall of receptacle E. The pinions are skeleton-pinions, and one ormore of them are set in holes in the side plates L, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, in the case of pinion 3, this being for the purpose of economizing space as far as possible. I employ a wide thin mainspring in order to'get the maximum of power and number of turns in the spring in the minimum of space. The main'spring-bar'rel is supported at both ends, its shaft taking a bearing in each plate L, as indicated in Fig. 2.

To insure a sufficiency of strength in the clicks and ratchet of the winding-arbor, and to protect them from injury from rough usage and from droppings that may find their way from the upper part of the lamp to the base, I cover the ratchet with a cap or plate, Z, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and in full lines in Fig. 2, which fits on the stud that carries the clicks, and is held there by pins which pass through holes in the ends of the pins, projecting beyond the cap-plate. The clicks a are arranged at the sides of the ratchet, and the click-springs m are attached to the cap and arranged at top and bottom of the same, so as to cover theexposed parts of the ratchet. The cap and spring thus form abox which incloses the clicks and ratchet, and can be removed together by taking out the holding-pins in the click-studs. The clicks, as indicated, are provided with projecting tails, so that they may be moved to unlock and let the spring run downward when necessary. Y

To reduce the friction of the pivots and to avoid the expense of turning small pivots on the shaft of the pinions and gear-wheels, I use fine steel wire of suitable size brought to a spring temper and inserted in the ends of the shafts. for pivots. Pivots thus constructed have also the advantage of greater strength and durability over those constructed in the usual way, since, as the latter are made solid with their shafts, a uniform temper is impossible. They are hardest at the shoulderand continually liable to break at that point. The

pivots I employ, having a spring temper, will return to their proper position on being bent from it, while the ordinary kind will not.

The movement is fitted readily in place. It occupies but little room, so that the base need not be large and unsightly in appearance, and,

- by reason of its construction and arrangement,

it will give a continuous, steady, and powerful blaze for a very considerable length of time. When fitted in the base it is held in position by screws passing through the base-plate L into lugs or flanges N, secured to the inside and above the bottom of the base.

The above improvement enables me to produce a lamp for burning heavy oils, which, on being wound up, filled, trimmed, and lighted, will, without the use of a chimney, give an effective light for twelve hours without requiring furtherattention during that time, and a diminishing light several hours longer, also without attention.

. The lamp shown in the drawing is specially designed for railroad and other cars, vessels, and like uses. It will, however, be manifest that the form and proportions of the same may be varied to fit it for any use to which a lamp is put.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv 1. In a lamp for burning heavy oils, the combination, substantially as herein shown and described, with the oil tank or reservoir, of a pump operated by spring-power mechanism contained in the lamp, and arranged to take up oil from the tank and supply it to the wick at or immediately below the point ofcombustion, said oil-supply being in addition to and independent of that drawn from the tank by the capillary action of the wick itself, as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a lamp for burning, heavy oils, the combination of the following elements, namely: An oil-reservoir, afan or blower driven by spring-power to produce a blast, air ducts or passages for conducting the said blast to interior and exterior of the flame, and a pump driven by the same sprin g-power, and arranged to take oil from the tank and deliver it to the wick at or near the point of combustion, the said elements being arranged and operating together substantially in the manner shown and set forth.

3. The combination, with the oil-reservoir and pump-cylinder and piston therein contained, of thepiston-rod, lifter-rod, and pusherbar, operated by the blast -producing' mechanism, under the arrangement and for operation as shown and set forth.

4. The combination, with the pump within the inner reservoir or tank, of the annular reservoir formed on the neck or top of the outer shell or jacket of the lamp at the point where the slotted deflector rests on said shell or jacket, and connected with and receiving its supply of oil from said pump, as shown and described.

5. In combination with the annularauxiliary reservoir connected to and supplied with oil from the pump, as described, the oil-receiver encircling the top or upper end of the wick-tube or J acket, and supplying the wick, at or immediately below the point of combustion, with oil received from said reservoir, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination, with theoil-receiver en" circling the top of the wick-tube and supplied with oil from the pump, as described, of the overflow-box located below said receiver to catch any surplus oil or drippings and convey the same back into the oil-reservoir, substantially as set forth.

7. In a lamp for burning heavy oils without a chimney, substantially as described, the combination, with the air-forcing mechanism,

the central air-duet, and the air-passage be- In testimony whereof I have signed my tween the oil-reservoir and outer shell or case, name in the presence of two subscribing witof a third air flue and passage intermediate nesses.

between the central and exterior air-passages, ROBERT HITGHCOOK. and passing up through the oil reservoir or Witnesses: tank, substantially as herein shown and set JNO. M. SIGOURNEY,

forth. H. L. BALDWIN. 

